December 30, 2011 was an epic night. New York based dance pop bands Class Actress and Penguin Prison got New York in a dancing mood as they performed a double bill of greatness at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. 2011 has seen the meteoric rise to fame for both groups and I am certain that 2012 will see even higher heights for Class Actress and Penguin Prison.

From the second Class Actress hit the stage, an all out dance party ensued as lead singer Elizabeth Harper’s sexy vocals over lush beats got the crowd ready to groove. Performing songs from her excellent EP “Journal of Ardency” and her full length debut “Rapprocher,” the crowd went wild as we danced to songs like the ultra funky “Keep You,” “Limousine,” “Let Me Take You Out,” and “Careful What You Say.”

Penguin Prison

The crowd was ready to groove by the time Penguin Prison took the stage, and like the music of Class Actress, every song played is catchy and knows how to rev the audience up. Lead singer Chris Glover jumps into the crowd, plays guitar behind his head and delivers the funk. His set consisted of songs such as the infectious “In The Way,” “Desert Cold,” “Something I’m Not,” “Animal Animal,” “Don’t Fuck With My Money,” and he also performed his excellent remix of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Jeans.” 2012 is going to be a huge year for Class Actress and Penguin Prison and for those that got to witness this great double bill, all we can say is thanks for a great night!

I’ve been really lucky to see both bands introduce their new material to receptive audiences and it’s so cool to see that in a few short months, the entire venue is singing along to the songs. It’s only going to get bigger for Class Actress and Penguin Prison and I am so excited for their futures!

If you don’t know the music of Penguin Prison or Class Actress, I suggest you remedy that right now. Your body, mind and soul will thank you for it!

Class Actress’ record is called “Rapprocher” and Penguin Prison’s record is self titled. If you need a cure for the troubled times we live in, both Penguin Prison and Class Actress will help you get your groove on and dance your cares away. Pass it on!

What better way is there to cool off in the middle of another hot New York summer than by seeing some great dance music performed live on the pier – and for free?! New York’s Class Actress and England’s Metronomy performed as part of the River to River free concert series in Manhattan at Pier 54 on July 28, 2011. Long time readers of the site know that I am in love with Class Actress. Their music is electro/dance with fat beats and features sexy vocals from Elizabeth Harper. Usually when I’ve seen Class Actress perform, it’s in a dark performance space setting the mood for you to dance like nobody’s looking while you hear great songs such as “Journal of Ardency,” “Let Me Take You Out” and “Careful What You Say.” Seeing them on the Pier while it was still daylight was just as great, and for once, I got to see the crowd loving the set as much as I did.

Elizabeth Harper of Class Actress

Class Actress is releasing their full length debut CD “Rapprocher” on Ocotober 18, 2011 and to whet your appetite, our friends over at RCRD LBL have a free download of the lead single “Keep You,” which will set the tone for what I am sure will be a great album. They performed a few tracks off “Rapprocher” tonight and if you liked their debut EP “Journal of Ardency,” you will not be disappointed with their new material.

Joseph Mount of Metronomy

After Class Actress dominated, Britain’s Metronomy played their first New York show in 3 years. The band has added a drummer to their lineup since they were here last. Their sound is dance/pop and in addition to their 3 studio albums, they’ve remixed artists such as Franz Ferdinand, Lykke Li, Klaxons, Goldfrapp and U2. Class Actress got the crowd ready to party and when Metronomy hit the stage, the entire pier was a great big dance party. Their latest album “The English Riviera” is nominated for the ultra prestigious Mercury Prize and they played tracks such as “the Bay,” “She Wants” and “The Look.” If you are in the Los Angeles area on July 30, 2011, Metronomy will be playing at the Echoplex. Go see them and get your groove on! You’ll have a blast like we did in New York.

Great news! The electro-pop group Class Actress will be releasing their debut album “Rapprocher” on October 18, 2011. I’ve seen Class Actress perform several times and I love them. Although lead singer Elizabeth Harper is often referred to as “Brooklyn’s own Madonna,” you’ll also hear elements of New Order and each track will have you dancing like nobody is looking. “Rapprocher” will not feature any of the songs off the band’s debut EP “Journal of Ardency,” and all those songs are highly recommended listening, so you should definitely track that EP down (from Itunes, for example). The tracklist for “Rapprocher” (which means “to come closer” in French) is:

There’s nothing like flying across the country, dropping off my bags at home and heading to the Mercury Lounge to see Class Actress perform. Class Actress sounds like what you’d get if you put the music of New Order and Madonna in a blender! I’ve seen Class Actress perform many times before and I love them! One of my favorite tracks is “Journal of Ardency,” and this is what it looked and sounded like on March 29, 2011. Enjoy!